GNSS-based simulation of spacecraft formation flight: A case study of ionospheric plasma remote sensing

Future space weather missions using spacecraft formation flying can provide more robust, flexible, sustainable, and low-cost observational capability on multi-scale ionospheric plasma structures. The Virginia Tech Formation Flying Testbed (VTFFTB), a hardware-in-the-loop simulation testbed using multi-constellation, multi-frequency global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), has recently been developed to simulate closed-loop, real-time spacecraft formation flight with a group of 2 or 3 satellites at low Earth orbits (LEO). Onboard GNSS receivers are used for formation navigation as well as ionospheric plasma irregularities measurements. In a VTFFTB simulation, the Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Electrodynamics General Circulation Model (TIEGCM) was integrated to simulate Equatorial plasma bubbles (EPB) and study the EPB impacts on GNSS signals tracked by LEO formation satellites. This case study demonstrates the VTFFTB application to study the ionospheric plasma impacts on GNSS-related technologies using global space weather models and facilitates development of new ionospheric remote sensing techniques.